Food Packaging Requirements Australia: What Food Businesses Need to Know

Understanding food packaging requirements in Australia is essential for any business manufacturing, packing or selling food products.

Packaging has two important jobs. It needs to protect the food from contamination and damage, while also carrying the information consumers and regulators need to identify, store and use the product correctly.

For Australian food and beverage businesses, getting packaging wrong can create serious consequences. Non compliant materials, incorrect labels or missing information can lead to rejected stock, failed retailer reviews, product recalls, regulatory action and reputational damage.

The good news is that the requirements become much easier to manage when packaging compliance is considered early in product development rather than immediately before launch.

Are There Rules About Food Packaging in Australia?

Yes. Food packaging in Australia is regulated through the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, along with relevant state and territory food laws and other requirements that may apply to specific products.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand, or FSANZ, sets the national food standards that apply to food sold in Australia and New Zealand. These include requirements covering both packaging safety and the information that needs to appear on food labels.

Under Standard 3.2.2, Australian food businesses must use packaging that:

• Is fit for its intended purpose
• Is not likely to contaminate the food
• Does not create a contamination risk during the packaging process

Packaging can create food safety risks if it is damaged, dirty, inappropriate for the product or capable of transferring harmful substances into the food.

What Legally Needs to Be on Food Packaging?

For most packaged food sold at retail, the Food Standards Code requires a range of mandatory information.

Depending on the product and any applicable exemptions, this can include:

• The name or description of the food
• Lot identification
• The supplier’s name and Australian or New Zealand business address
• Ingredient information
• Mandatory allergen declarations
• Warning or advisory statements where required
• Date marking
• Storage or directions for use where required
• A nutrition information panel
• Percentage labelling for certain characterising ingredients
• Other information required for particular food categories

Australian products may also be subject to country of origin labelling requirements outside the core FSANZ labelling framework.

Exact requirements vary according to the product, so businesses should assess the applicable standards rather than assume every food uses the same label format.

For a broader explanation, see our guide to food labelling requirements in Australia.

What Are the Main Packaging Regulations in Australia?

There is not one standalone “food packaging law” that covers every requirement.

Instead, businesses need to consider several parts of the regulatory framework.

Food Safety Requirements

Standard 3.2.2 of the Food Standards Code requires packaging materials to be suitable for their intended use and unlikely to contaminate food.

This means manufacturers need to consider the relationship between the packaging material and the product it contains.

Food Contact Materials

Packaging can potentially transfer chemicals into food, particularly under certain storage, temperature and product conditions.

FSANZ states that manufacturers must ensure food in contact with packaging remains safe. The Code also includes limits for some contaminants that may occur as a result of packaging contact.

This makes material selection an important part of product development, not simply a branding decision.

Labelling Requirements

Chapter 1 of the Food Standards Code contains general labelling and information requirements, while some food categories have additional requirements under Chapter 2.

Businesses also need to ensure marketing claims and representations are accurate and not misleading.

What Makes Food Packaging Compliant?

Compliant packaging needs to work for the particular food it contains.

A material suitable for a dry powder may not necessarily be appropriate for a high moisture, acidic or temperature sensitive product.

Packaging evaluation should therefore consider:

• The type of food
• Moisture and oxygen sensitivity
• Intended shelf life
• Storage conditions
• Temperature exposure
• Light sensitivity
• Risk of chemical migration
• Physical durability
• Seal integrity
• Distribution conditions
• Consumer use after opening

The packaging also needs to accommodate all required label information clearly and legibly.

For brands developing a clean label product, packaging and label design should also accurately reflect the formulation and any claims being made.

How to Implement Compliant Food Packaging

A practical packaging process usually begins during product development.

1. Define the Product Requirements

Start with the formulation, intended shelf life, storage requirements and sales environment.

A powder sold through ecommerce has very different packaging considerations from a chilled ready to eat product distributed through supermarkets.

2. Select a Suitable Packaging Format

The container, pouch, bottle, sachet or other format needs to protect the product and work within the intended manufacturing process.

This includes considering filling equipment, closure systems, transport and storage.

3. Review Food Contact Suitability

Confirm that materials are appropriate for direct or indirect contact with the particular food and intended conditions of use.

Documentation from packaging suppliers can help support this assessment.

4. Develop the Label

Once the formulation and packaging format are established, mandatory label information can be incorporated into the artwork.

The label should be reviewed against the applicable Food Standards Code requirements before printing.

5. Validate Before Commercial Production

Final packaging should be assessed for factors such as sealing, durability, filling performance and product protection before a large production run begins.

Taking these steps early can reduce the risk of expensive packaging changes later.

Packaging, Manufacturing and Food Safety

Packaging forms part of the wider manufacturing process.

During contract food manufacturing, the packaging stage needs to be controlled in a way that prevents contamination and maintains product integrity.

This can involve:

• Keeping packaging materials clean and appropriately stored
• Checking packaging before use
• Preventing foreign material contamination
• Monitoring sealing and closure performance
• Confirming the correct label is applied
• Recording batch and lot information
• Maintaining traceability between packaging materials and finished products

These controls complement broader food safety and quality systems, including principles associated with GMP certification in food manufacturing.

Why Packaging Audits and Quality Checks Matter

Packaging problems are not always obvious during product development.

Regular checks can identify issues such as:

• Incorrect labels
• Poor seal integrity
• Damaged containers
• Printing errors
• Incorrect batch coding
• Missing allergen declarations
• Outdated product information
• Packaging materials that do not meet specification

Quality assurance teams can review both the physical packaging and the documentation supporting it.

This provides another layer of protection before finished products leave the manufacturing facility.

Keep Packaging Documentation Up to Date

Packaging compliance does not stop once the first production run has been completed.

Formulas change. Suppliers change. Regulations change. Packaging materials can also be updated or discontinued.

Businesses should maintain current records covering areas such as:

• Packaging specifications
• Approved suppliers
• Food contact documentation
• Label artwork
• Product specifications
• Ingredient and allergen information
• Batch coding requirements
• Quality control records

Traceability should extend to packaging as well as ingredients. FSANZ recommends that food businesses be able to trace relevant inputs, including packaging materials, through their supply chain.

Whenever a formulation or supplier changes, the packaging and label should be reviewed to determine whether an update is required.

Packaging Compliance and Commercial Growth

Meeting food packaging requirements in Australia is not simply about avoiding regulatory problems.

Retailers, distributors and commercial customers often expect suppliers to demonstrate reliable packaging, traceability, accurate labelling and strong quality control.

For businesses exploring private label food manufacturing, these considerations become particularly important because the finished product needs to be commercially ready before it enters retail or distribution channels.

Strong packaging processes can support:

• Easier retailer onboarding
• Fewer production errors
• More reliable distribution
• Better traceability
• Consistent presentation across batches
• Greater supply chain confidence

Packaging therefore becomes part of both compliance and commercial readiness.

Getting Food Packaging Requirements Right

Australian food packaging needs to protect the product, maintain food safety and communicate the information required under the relevant regulatory framework.

That means businesses need to look beyond aesthetics.

Material suitability, food contact safety, label content, traceability, quality control and documentation all contribute to compliant packaging.

By considering these requirements during product development and maintaining strong packaging controls throughout manufacturing, food businesses can reduce compliance risk while building products that are better prepared for retail, distribution and long term commercial growth.